Podcasts

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from… Read More

Discipleship-First Friends, I am just completing an experiment in disciple making with some current and future leaders in the staff at our church that I wanted to share with you…. Read More

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate… Read More

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).   Comment This sentence sums up much of… Read More

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the… Read More

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (Matthew 7:6).   This text connects with… Read More

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to… Read More

   Click Here to Listen Have you read any of the “bad plot summaries” that are going around the internet? For example, here’s a bad plot summary of the Lord of… Read More

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will… Read More

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on…. Read More

“No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other. Or else he will hold fast to the one and despise the other…. Read More

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is single, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body… Read More

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where… Read More

Moreover, when you fast, do not put on a sad face like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I… Read More

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew… Read More

  “Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven,    hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come,     your will be done,       on earth as it is… Read More

5 “And when you pray, do not be as the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, so they may… Read More

“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly,… Read More

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew… Read More

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).     On the previous topic, “Enemies:” Jesus, Paul, and the early church spoke clearly and definitively about the… Read More

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may… Read More

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps… Read More

Sharing one’s faith—evangelizing—is a core practice among many religions. For Christians, it’s viewed as a mandate from Jesus himself before he departed earth: commanding his disciples to “spread the good… Read More

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take… Read More

“It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the… Read More

www.washingtontimes.com 5 mins read Religious conservative leaders at the national level see the fight over gender issues as make-or-break. (Associated Press/File) U.S. church attendance is dropping, but Hope Church in Memphis, Tennessee, is… Read More

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in… Read More

You have heard that it was said by those of old, you will not kill; and whoever kills will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you… Read More

Renew.org If you had the opportunity to sit down and talk with a world traveling disciple maker, what questions would you ask? As for me, I was curious about what… Read More

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).   Jesus’ words would probably have… Read More

Non-members can listen to several of the audio lessons (the Jesus N.T. Character Podcast, A Christian Response to Global Financial Crisis; Serving the Poor: Second Thoughts; Avatar; The Hunger Games, etc.), but… Read More

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to… Read More

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a lamp and put it under a basket, but… Read More

      Everyday Disciple Maker: Debbra Stephens CLICK HERE TO LISTEN Whether you work in sales or in a school, whether a preacher or a plumber, there is one… Read More

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt becomes foolish, how will it be salted? It is thereafter good for nothing but to be thrown out and… Read More

     “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.       Blessed are you when men speak abusively of you,… Read More

“Blessed are the peacemakers,    for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9).  “If most of us are honest with ourselves, we know that there are many… Read More

“Blessed are the pure in heart,      for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).   (1) PURITY: A constant theme in Jesus’ teaching is that God looks not only at… Read More

Douglas Jacoby,  Washington DC (1993) (recommended by Russ Ewell, San Francisco) Prejudice is ugly and widespread, knowing no borders. Yet even more detestable is the use of biblical authority to justify… Read More

      The 5th beatitude: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). My friend David Berçot, who has examined all the ancient Christian writings, helps… Read More

      “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness / justice, for they will be satisfied.” What does this mean? Consider such passages as: “Man does not… Read More

      “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) “Meek” is a word we seldom use. It does not mean “weak.” It derives from the Old Norse mjúkr,… Read More

Something You Can Never Be CLICK HERE TO LISTEN   Have you ever been told an expression by somebody older than you which makes absolutely no sense to your generation?… Read More

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). In the background there are well over 100 scriptural passages on mourning, like this one, where Jesus identifies himself… Read More

By John Ortberg on January 1, 2020 This piece has been adapted from the transcript of a sermon delivered by John Ortberg at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church on January 5, 2014, and has… Read More

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). There are at least 20 beatitudes uttered by Jesus in the N.T. (8 in Matthew,… Read More

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. (Matt 5:1-2 ESV) Mountains in the Bible are associated with Moses (Exod 19-20),… Read More

Hebrew & Greek words: chuldah = mole. See the Huldah Gates (entrance into Temple precinct). nevi’ah = prophetess (Greek prophêtis) navi’ = prophet (Greek prophétēs) Prophetesses of the Bible: Old Testament… Read More

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is the section of the New Testament widely agreed to contain the very heart of Jesus’ kingdom message. The teachings were and still are… Read More

Sermon given by Doug on 11-24-19 at the North River Church of Christ in Atlanta, GA.

Do you have a friend who needs good dating advice? Send this to him or her! Click here for more.

Muscle and a Shovel | The Christian Chronicle Muscle and a Shovel is a raw and gritty true story about a pair of young newly-weds who move to the city… Read More

Hebrew words: Mikhál = brook ‘Avigail = my father is joy Bath-sheva’ = daughter of the oath David’s wives: Ahinoam, Maachah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah Michal, Abigail, Bathsheba—and possibly more Note: this does not… Read More

Our very own cofounder, David Young, was recently on The Eric Metaxas Show! Leaders are talking about A Grand Illusion, you can join the conversation. Friends, In case you don’t know, Eric Metaxas… Read More

Q: Thanks for sharing about your personal spiritual retreat in Canada [October 2019]. This is making me curious (and I suspect that others might be wondering also) about what is… Read More

Recently I caught up with one of the workshop presenters at our November 6th Gathering, Christian Ray Flores. Christian is a Renew.org co-founder and has an interesting perspective on culture and… Read More

Bookmark the list for Bible study, reference, and sharing with others. Top 100 Bible Verses on Money and Wealth Also see the Topical Index of Money and Wealth Scriptures The latest… Read More

Assyriologist George Heath-Whyte explains the errors in Richard Dawkins’ new book Richard Dawkins was asked by journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy in an interview recently, “If you could change the world, how would you change… Read More

SBC President J. D. Greear speaks at the ERLC’s Caring Well Conference on October 3.Southern Baptist Convention President J. D. Greear acknowledged that while sexual abuse survivors have pleaded with… Read More

What should we think of DNA experiments and developments? Jim Stump ponders the most recent developments in the realm of gene editing, including CRISPR babies, the problem of chimeras, and more,… Read More

My sermon at the North River Church of Christ on Sunday 22 September 2019 (9 am service). Principal texts: Luke 23:34 and Matt 5:38-48.

How well do we know God’s Word? Here’s a tool to evaluate our level of Bible knowledge. The diagnostic test at 3 levels has been constructed with the help of many around… Read More

“. . . members together of one body and sharers together . . .”  (Eph. 3:6) Shared Church aims to encourage Christians and churches to practice participatory body life—the one-anothering… Read More

Ask the tech-savvy youth in your church: How relevant and compelling is our communication? Are we truly engaging the information revolution to communicate the gospel to as many people as… Read More

Kidogo – Christian Practicals 2.67K subscribers Guy Hammond used to live a gay life before he became a Christian. Now, as Christian minister, he runs an international ministry dedicated to… Read More

Social Media – A powerful tool https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k_G_h41ZaQ  

By CSN on Sep 05, 2019 01:00 pm There are many ways you can assess the spiritual health of your church members. Faith, regular church attendance, and engagement in community… Read More

“Just let the Bible be whatever it is.” … But just what is the Bible? What is the Bible? This is a vitally important question. Rob Bell is a famous… Read More

ARE MOST SCIENTISTS ATHEISTS? Baruch Aba Shalev wrote a book titled 100 Years of Nobel Prizes. That book contains a report on Nobel prizes awarded between 1901 and 2000. During that period, when 423… Read More

CHICK-FIL-A GIVING. San Antonio, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, have kicked Chick-fil-A out of their airports for “aiding and abetting Christian organizations.” What is especially ironic is that it is the charity work of… Read More

Don’t Be Fooled Into Believing These Final Two GRIEF MYTHS You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot… Read More

Introduction Our O.T. character today is a minor character. And yet doesn’t mean he isn’t important. The relationship between David and Jonathan (Saul’s son, next in line for the throne)… Read More

By Kendra Terpstra on August 16, 2019 Whenever people ask me how I found out about BioLogos, I usually give them a quick elevator speech that begins with when I first read… Read More

“One thing I see at the orthodox cores of our traditions is that at one and the same time we are to hold faithfully to truth as we know it… Read More

A North Carolina sheriff’s deputy sues his former employer for religious discrimination after it wouldn’t accommodate his request to not train a female officer one-on-one. David Roach August 20, 2019… Read More

Dear Discipleship-First Tribe, We want you to become the disciple maker God intends you to be. For those of you who are church leaders, we also want you to develop… Read More

Late last year, I noticed our family checkbook was getting very light. Dread filled my mind as I realized that we would need to borrow money to pay our bills… Read More

The podcast Islam & Christianity (26 minutes) is intended to help the new student of world religions to develop a feel for how the two faiths connect. This is material I… Read More

Man melding with machine. Anti-aging technology. Brain-computer interface. Gene-edited “designer” babies. Some scientific advances go beyond helping humanity overcome obstacles. They actually begin to help humanity overcome, well . …. Read More

First – Learn from Disciple Making Leader: Small Circle Steve McCoy is the leader of Small Circle, one of our trusted disciple-making partners. Here’s what he told us about his ministry… Read More

Watch the message given in Atlanta (North River Church) on July 28, 2019.

Sermon I did in the Midpoint Ministry (Chicago) on July 21, 2019. (The sermon begins at about 0:38, and ends at 1:12.) Posted by Midpoint Ministry Center of the Chicago Church… Read More

Located between Kiryat Gat and Lachish in southern Israel, Khirbet a-Ra‘i has been the site of excavations since 2015. The researchers recently announced their belief that they have uncovered the… Read More

Podcast 1 Podcast 2   Más Allá de la Vida – Slides  

FORT WORTH, Texas — Dr. Kent Brantly sat on his counselor’s couch and wept. The tears came last summer as the Christian physician visited with Dottie Schulz, a missionary care volunteer… Read More

I was recently able to catch up with Renew Gathering speaker Mark Moore. We talked about life transitions, creating a legacy, personal discipline, and a new book he has written… Read More

“Just let the Bible be whatever it is.”…But just what is the Bible?  What is the Bible? This is a vitally important question. Rob Bell is a famous American author,… Read More

  Headlines were buzzing with the announcement. Facebook had introduced a new metric that would significantly revamp their algorithms. Continue here.

FROM THE SEA  DNA obtained from remains of people who inhabited an ancient city on Israel’s coast, including this child, indicate that the Philistines mentioned in the Hebrew Bible descended… Read More

TRUST Rom 15:14—confident in church to handle issues of church. I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent… Read More

4) Abuse of authority Leaders have authority, but not to create their own rules, or in the language of Jeremiah, “to rule by their own authority” (Jer 5:30-31). “Giving up… Read More

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so… Read More

In his own words, comedian Ricky Gervais went “from Jesus-loving Christian to fun-loving infidel in one afternoon.” Ricky Gervais was 8 years old. He was drawing the Crucifixion as part… Read More

After his wife became Muslim to appease militant Islamists, he fled with their children — and found Christ. Erik Tryggestad President and CEO DONO-MANGA, Chad — In this rural African village,… Read More

Two New AMAZING Videos From SIW! P.S. Put your seat belt on! #1. What Does the Bible Say bout Being Transgender? By Brandon Redler 3.3 min #2. Why I Left My Transgender Life Behind … Read More

To listen to lesson 10 in the CLEAN series, The Four Samaritan Lepers (10 minutes), click on the play arrow. Or you can download the podcast by right clicking here and choosing ‘save… Read More

If God is good, and loving, and powerful, how can we account for the enormous amount of animal (and human) suffering caused by predation, disease, and natural disasters? Traditionally, Christians… Read More

WHO ARE WE? SELF-TEST: Rank the following terms in order of usage–what you usually call yourself. Christian Disciple Brother Saint Many of us answered 1-2-3-4, right? But in the New… Read More

Renew.org     4 Things I Would Like to Say to Taylor Swift as a Pastor   June was a big month for Taylor Swift as she embraced LGBTQ month,… Read More

History — We Are Church A Brief History of We Are Church. Excerpt from Letters to the Church, by Francis Chan. Why I Left My Megachurch In 1994, when I… Read More

Two twin boys were raised by an alcoholic father. One grew up to be an alcoholic and when asked what happened he said “I watched my father”. The other grew… Read More

How a meeting in Philadelphia changed American religion forever. By Matthew Avery Sutton   Mr. Sutton, a professor of history at Washington State University, is the author of the forthcoming “Double… Read More

LEARN CHURCH PLANTING FROM OUR PASTORS a note from francis Haven’t you always been a bit confused about Church?  You read about the unstoppable power, miraculous love, and outrageous sacrifice… Read More

Many have asked what specific points led me away from Calvinism. Being a Professor of Theology that once affirmed TULIP gives me a unique perspective on this subject. However, I… Read More

  We are excited to introduce you to  TheHistoricFaith.com . The Historic Faith is the result of a partnership between Sattler College and Scroll Publishing. This project seeks to promote the precepts… Read More

Something ominous is happening to young men today; it’s a crisis…and strangely, we are not talking about it. A recent USA Today article captured the essence of the crisis with the article “Boy Crisis Threatens America’s… Read More

With over 150 titles, Penguin’s Who Was? series tells the incredible stories of trailblazers, legends, innovators, and creators. Play the Who Was Adventure game! Download the Who Was series app… Read More

Excerpt from Trent Butler, The Word Biblical Commentary 8, Judges (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009), lxxx. ……”Three tribes… receive the brunt of the author’s judgment in Judges. Benjamin could not take… Read More

Father’s Day is just around the corner. Covenant Eyes would love to see all the dads out there take the Dad Challenge. What better time to start this challenge but… Read More

Two video sermons taken from the book of Hebrews: iFaith 19 (Heb A), “Christ is Supreme,” and iFaith 20 (Heb B), “The Truth about Falling Away”. Listen to either or… Read More

My wife Cathy passed away on August 13, 2018. We were married for 28 incredible years. Through our Strength in Weakness ministry, we traveled the world telling our story and… Read More

New discoveries about the human mind show the limitations of reason. The vaunted human capacity for reason may have more to do with winning arguments than with thinking straight. Illustration… Read More

Televangelist Todd Coontz has a well-worn routine: he dresses in a suit, pulls out a Bible and urges viewers to pledge a very specific amount of money. “Don’t delay, don’t… Read More

For over 200 years people have used soil from the churchyard of Sacred Heart Church in the Boho Highlands of rural Northern Ireland as a remedy for a variety of… Read More

Friends,   As a Renew subscriber you likely aspire to be a disciple who makes disciples. We want to help make that as easy as possible for you. This is… Read More

Today I get to sit down with the founder of Strength in Weakness Ministries, Guy Hammond, to discuss how to live a life of holiness when you’re same-sex attracted. -… Read More

Like many of you, I enjoy a good book. Apart from occasional espionage novels, nearly all of my reading is Christian literature, theology, history, and science. Yet now and again,… Read More

If you read the Bible—especially the New Testament—it’s pretty easy to come away with a bad impression of Samaritans. In fact, most of us would probably rank the Samaritans just… Read More

Amazing keynote message given at the Harbor Pepperdine Bible Lectures on Thursday, May 2, 2019 in Malibu, CA. Click here to watch.

From the book: “I want to show that the gospel and our faith response must not be reduced to the cross, or even to the cross and resurrection. The gospel… Read More

Sermon given at the North River Church in Atlanta on Sunday, May 12, 2019.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Four in five Americans believe in the healing power of prayer, according to surveys, and even a majority of medical doctors say that miraculous healing sometimes occurs…. Read More

Two classes given by Douglas Jacoby & Nick Zola at “The Harbor” Pepperdine Bible Lectures, on May 3, 2019. The two audio lessons are followed by the Powerpoint presentation with… Read More

Is the Holy Land the Promised Land? Leading evangelical supporters of President Trump tout the modern state of Israel as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Scholars in Churches of Christ… Read More

Can You Be Gay and a Christian? See why over 100,000 people have attended a Strength in Weakness workshop!   SIW HITS  THE ROAD   Madrid, Spain Guy Hammond May… Read More

  Friends,   Many Renew leaders have success stories to share. We want God to get the credit in these stories. We also want to learn from these stories how… Read More

(UPDATED) Assemblies of God pastor preferred to “die for his faith rather than leave the village” he served for decades.  Kate Shellnutt [Updated May 3 with further remarks from Assemblies… Read More

May News from Tyndale House Dear friends, At Tyndale House we are passionate about supporting evangelical biblical scholars, and ensuring that Christians across the world benefit from their work. In… Read More

1st part of our interview with Dr. Douglas Jacoby It was very exciting to be able to have a conversation with Douglas on such a needed subject. We all go… Read More

A BioLogos podcast on science and faith The new BioLogos podcast is live! We’re very excited about this latest way to extend the BioLogos mission. Long-form audio broadcasts have become… Read More

#3. “When Your Kids Tell You They Are Gay” Steve Bowen 4 min #1. “Is It a Sin If You Feel Gay?” Guy Hammond 3.5 min #2. “Can You Be… Read More

To listen to lesson 9 in the CLEAN series, The Leprosy of Uzziah (9 minutes), click on the play arrow. Or you can download the podcast by right clicking here and choosing… Read More

Dear Discipleship-first Tribe, Disciples of Jesus are facing a subtle but pervasive challenge in North America right now. Left unchecked, this challenge erodes the convictions of everyday disciples, leaders, and… Read More

Growing up in suburban Cincinnati, sacrifices were not part of everyday life. I know, some of you are probably shocked by that revelation. Sacrifices were something I read about in the Bible… Read More

Browse the presentations from the 2019 BioLogos Conference!

Each year, Barna examines behaviors and beliefs related to the Bible among American adults, a study conducted in partnership with American Bible Society. In the 2019 “State of the Bible” report,… Read More

See why over 100,000 people have attended a Strength in Weakness workshop!   SIW HITS  THE ROAD   Madrid, Spain Guy Hammond May 5, 2019 La Iglesia de los Disćipulos… Read More

I am a senior pastor; I have been one for more than 30 years. So, I know the subtle pressure that can sneak in: to produce, provide and program for… Read More

From slow WiFi to broken phone screens to zero “likes” on social media, everyday stressors are causing young adults to have struggles falling asleep 138 nights each year, researchers say…. Read More

From Reuters News: Conversion is not your mission, pope tells Catholics in Morocco http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-pope-morocco/conversion-is-not-your-mission-pope-tells-catholics-in-morocco-idUKKCN1RC0FJ Pope Francis told the tiny Catholic community in predominantly Muslim Morocco on Sunday that their mission… Read More

Various factors feed into psychosis, like stress and personal genetic makeup. Yet there is strong evidence that use of cannabis is leading to significant mental health problems in Europe—the higher… Read More

Why I am NOT a Gay Christian By Guy Hammond Executive Director, Strength in Weakness Ministries “You are not being your authentic self, you’re a liar and a fraud.” “You… Read More

The following are responses to the Ezekiel series (10 installments), which appears in the newsletters of 20 & 27 Feb; 6, 13, 20, and 27 Mar; and 3, 10, 17,… Read More

A List of All Scriptures that Proves God Condones Homosexuality By Guy Hammond Executive Director; Strength in Weakness Ministries Does God love homosexuals? Of course, God loves everyone! But where… Read More

Greg explains the importance of listening and encourages Christians to remember that the one who makes the claim bears the burden. Play the 3-minute video by clicking here, and/or read… Read More

Image: Illustration by Rick Szuecs / Source image: Courtesy of Baker Publishing Group Michael McClymond decries the rising popularity of an idea Christians have rejected for most of church history…. Read More

Photo from Pixabay.com Feb. 28, 2019 Modern-day ‘sticks and stones’ Before you type, maybe you should ask, ‘What would Jesus tweet?’ By  Chellie Ison ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones,… Read More

“… so that by all possible means I might save some.” 1 Cor 9:22  Does your church have an integrated and compelling online presence to impact your community? Your church leader needs to focus… Read More

Dear Renew Friends, This month we are emphasizing what the Bible teaches about baptism – and a key resource on baptism. Let me explain why this may be important to you… Read More

Greco-Roman gods had no interest in the poor nor was organised charity a religious duty. How was Christianity different? Photo by DeAgostini/Getty In Greco-Roman culture, the well-to-do weren’t expected to… Read More

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” That statement, attributed to the most influential management guru of our time, Peter Drucker, describes a reality church leaders must face in the pursuit of… Read More

The Benefits of a Stiff Neck? by Rob Kranz This is my first post since arriving back in Jerusalem. The time is flying by at blazing fast speed. As I write this,… Read More

Weary of attacks by Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, Christians in Nigeria ask how long they’re supposed to “count it all joy.” JEREMY WEBER IN JOS| OCTOBER 19, 2018 Image:… Read More

Local couple help empower women in Nicaragua, one knitted blanket at a time By: Lorena Inclan Jacksonville, FL March 1, 2019 For Steve and Sandy Jacoby a trip to Nicaragua… Read More

How do you react when things go wrong? Your e-mail or Twitter gets hacked and people send you unkind messages… You’re stuck in traffic and late for an important meeting…… Read More

A Jew, an Early Christian and a Roman Meet in Archaeological Park to Be Built on Evacuated Prison ‘God Jesus Christ’ mosaic, ancient Jewish-Samaritan village of Othnay and Roman command… Read More

RUTH LESSON NR-MS Taught 20 March 2019 in Marietta, GA (North River Church, Marietta Square Group)

by Greg Koukl, March 1, 2019 I do not consider myself a particularly brave person, and I think it especially foolish, on the main, to make a frontal assault on… Read More

To listen to lesson 8 in the CLEAN series, The Leprosy of Gehazi (13 minutes), click on the play arrow. Or you can download the podcast by right clicking here and choosing… Read More

By Jeff Hardin on February 13, 2019 This article is adapted from a portion of the 2018 V. Elving Anderson Lecture in Science and Religion by Jeff Hardin, given at the University of Minnesota, April 5,… Read More

Art For The Glory Of God “A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” This was the counsel of King Solomon, as chronicled in Proverbs 18:16…. Read More

Are You Ready to Respond to Pro-Abortion Arguments? The message being given to us by our culture has moved from the regretful necessity of abortion to the goodness of abortion…. Read More

Sermon by Douglas Jacoby on Feb. 24, 2019 at the North River Church of Christ.

Discipleship-First Tribe, Discipleship·org asked Roy Moran to write a two-part blog on Disciple Making Movements. We asked Roy to do this because he’s an expert on Disciple Making Movements and… Read More

Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation From the Center for Action and Contemplation Week Six Jesus and the Cross An Alternative Story Monday, February 4, 2019 The theory of substitutionary atonement has… Read More

ACCESS ALL IMITATION OF CHRIST PODCASTS HERE (scroll down)    Since the early 1400s, The Imitation of Christ has been a Christian classic—for many centuries surpassed in printing and sales only by… Read More

Scripture: Phil 3:14; (1 Macc 2:63); (Sir 7:6); (Sir 38:22); Luke 21:36; Matt 24:44; 2 Cor 6:2; Rom 6:8; Ecc 7:2; Psalm 144:4; Luke 12:33; 16:9; 1 Pet 2:11; Heb… Read More

Scripture: Psalm 43:3-4; 55:6; 34:8; 106:45; 40:5; 19:9; 1 John 2:15; Rom 8:6; Col 3:11; Rom 6:6; Gal 5:17; Psalm 89:9; 44:26; 68:30; (Sir 36:6); Isa 26:3; Matt 6:25-34   Application… Read More

Scripture: Phil 1:23-24; Jas 1:17; Rom 8:21; Luke 22:18; Josh 1:6; Eph 4:24; Isa 61:3; Phil 1:20 . Powerful sentences: * “It’s not by your own meditating and striving that… Read More

Make Your Prayer Space Ready For God Jesus notoriously went off into the garden of Gethsemane to pray before he was betrayed and eventually hung on the cross. What most… Read More

Scripture: Matt 7:1-2; Jas 3:7-9; Matt 26:41; Eph 4:29; John 21:22; Rom 14:12; Ecc 1:14; John 2:25; Rev 3:20; 1 Pet 4:7 . Thought questions: * Am I aware of… Read More

Scripture: Prov 4:23; 19:23; Jas 4:9; Eph 4:29; Col 2:20-23; Psalm 80:5; 75:5. Spiritual focus: * Holy reverence * Discipline * Avoiding senseless humor (flippancy) * Cultivating spiritual sensitivity. * Clear… Read More

Scripture: 2 Cor 6:7; Psalm 91:14; Rev 2:17; Rom 8:18; Psalm 27:14; Psalm 91:15; Job 7:1; 1 Pet 5:8; Jas 1:14; Col 1:11; (Sir 31:26); 1 Cor 10:13; (Jud 8:17); Luke… Read More

“And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and signs and… Read More

Scriptures: 2 Tim 3:16; Heb 13:9; Psalm 117:2; Heb 1:1; Rom 2:11 Ten thoughts: * We shouldn’t seek novelty for novelty’s sake. The gospel is seldom advanced through curious, shocking,… Read More

by Steve Staten | Jan 23, 2019 At age thirty I had been in technology for nine years and fulltime ministry for just over a year.  My wife and I had three little… Read More

Martin Luther King Jr. courageously spoke out about the Vietnam War. We must do the same when it comes to this grave injustice of our time. By Michelle Alexander, Opinion Columnist, Jan. 19,… Read More

Scripture: 2 Pet 1:5-8; Prov 16:9; Jer 10:23; Heb 12:1; Eph 6:11; Rom 8:18; Luke 12:37,42 Application: * Daily renewal: Begin the day the right way!  * Stay busy. Redeem… Read More

Scripture: Gal 5:22-23; Eph 4:2; Gal 6:2; Rom 12:18; Phil 4:8; Rom 2:9; 1 Pet 3:16; Isa 57:20-21; 2 Cor 1:12; 7:4; 1 John 3:21; Isa 48:22; Mic 3:11; Psalm… Read More

Dear Renew Subscribers, I was recently in a theology class where the teacher made this point: anyone wanting to be like Jesus should try doing what he did. What did… Read More

Scripture: John 14:27; Matt 3:10; Gal 2:20; 5:24; 6:14; 2 Tim 2:4; Rev 2:4; Psalm 37:7; Mark 6:31; Luke 5:16; 2 Cor 1:12; Psalm 4:4; 1 John 2:17; Prov 23:32;… Read More

Scriptures: Luke 11:4; Gen 50:20; Titus 3:10; Gal 6:2,5; 2 Cor 3:5; Prov 3:7; Col 3:13; 1 Thess 5:11 . Application: * We often operate under a double standard, wanting others… Read More

Scripture: Jas 1:17; Nah 1:7; Matt 11:28; Jer 32:27; 1 Pet 5:10; Num 23:19; Ps 40:1; Matt 8:7; 6:34; John 14:27; 14:1; Ps 44:21; John 15:9; Luke 8:15; 2 Cor… Read More

As abuse awareness grows, pastors are searching for ways to protect the vulnerable and care for survivors. MORGAN LEE @Mepaynl Image: Davide Bonazzi / Salzmanart Last summer Stephanie Lobdell, co-lead pastor… Read More

Deaf communities around the world are still waiting to experience God’s Word in their first language. How much longer will it be? Donations from the 40,000 attendees at this year’s… Read More

Scripture: 1 Cor 1:26-27; 2 Tim 4:3; Num 16; Ps 94:10; 119:100,130; Col 3:4; Zeph 1:12; 1 Cor 4:5,20; 12:11. . Application: * “Sweet-sounding compliments”: beware flattery, and people lowering… Read More

Scripture: 1 Pet 5:5-6; Matt 6; Jer 10:23; Ps 91:4; Rom 11:25; 12:3; 1 Cor 13:1-3; Rom 11:20; 12:3; Jas 3:1 Practical application:  * We should be modest about our… Read More

Young adults are dropping out of church in large numbers, survey finds. This is why. www.usatoday.com 3 mins read ASHVILLE, Tenn. —Large numbers of young adults who frequently attended Protestant worship services in… Read More

Christian churches still struggle with race, how to discuss it, what to do www.usatoday.com 10 mins read CINCINNATI — On a Wednesday night at Crossroads Church in the Cincinnati neighborhood Corryville,… Read More

Scripture: Ps 37:4 Matt 26:41 Heb 12:1; 6:12; 11:1-40 John 12:25 Application (10 areas): * Learn from those who have gone before us (in church history, the O.T., and even… Read More

Greg encourages Christians for whom evangelism seems overwhelming to focus on small opportunities of influence rather than “sealing the deal.” Look forward to more Mentoring Moments from Greg in the… Read More

Scripture: Jas 1:22-25; Ezek 20:19; Eph 5:17; Gren 32:10; 1 Cor 4:7; Rom 2:11; Jas 2:5; Ps 45:16; 1 Pet 2:1; Acts 5:41; Luke 14:10; Matt 16:24-25; Phil 2:21; Ezra… Read More

Scriptures: 1 John 5:2-3; Prov 12:15; Rom 14:17 Insights for Life: * “It is far safer to live under authority than to be in a place of authority.” * “It… Read More

The Problem of Human Suffering We inhabit the same world Jesus did—one of pain, joy, surprise, suffering, and wonder. At times life is good, joyous, and fair. At other times… Read More

Scriptures: Rom 8:17-18; Heb 12:4; 2 Tim 2:5; Luke 18:27; John 15:9-10; Ps 18:42; Jas 2:20; 1 Sam 16:21; Ezek 20:17; Gen 2:7   Application questions: 1. Do I react differently… Read More

Scripture: Phil 4:11-13; Ps 30:6-8,10-11; Job 7:18; Rev 2:7. Practical application: (1) Don’t allow ourselves to lose faith or perspective just because we are going through hard times. (2) Don’t… Read More

Scriptures: Phil 3:7-9; Ps 73; Ps 25:17; 2 Cor 6:2; Heb 10:36; 2 Cor 5:4; 1 Thess 5:3; Prov 30:7-9; Col 3:1-4; Ps 32:5; 40:2; 69:14; 1 John 2:15: Job… Read More